6 Answers

Human selfishness roots from the fact that man has always been aware of himself. We are higher animals with a well developed brain. Humans have wants ,need and desires hence our first instinct is to think about ourselves first before any other person or thing. We always try to satisfy ourselves first and sometimes we don't consider others.

Man always wants to be the best everywhere and at anything. Even nature picks the fittest to survive. Our natural instinct to live and excel does not let us uphold others and sometimes we use them to get what we want at their expense. We think that other people are our competition and we always want to be at the top without them there. We forget that no two living things can occupy the same ecological niche. That is to say that everyone has a role to play.

Humans are selfish because we are lover's of self and not people.Humans always want the best for themselves, so self centered and have the only me syndrome.

Humans believe in self preservation and wouldn't want anything to stand in their way of gaining whatever they need for their body,soul and spirit, they don't mind eliminating one to gain whatever it is.

People just like to live large and enjoy life even at the detriment of others all the need do is to amassed wealth for their pleasures. Until we begin to be one another keeper selfishness and self love would continue to strive.

Looking at the world today, it's a pity that greed have taken over even in a little space like the immediate family isn't left out in this rot.

Selfishness is just a human characteristic and I think although some are more selfish than others it lies in all of us. I can honestly say I became less selfish once I had my children. From then on I cared about them more than myself and I still do. I think most people, and in particular women, feel the need to protect and care for their children above everything else.

I don't think it's wrong to be selfish in all instances. For example, if you go for a job interview you will do everything in your power to make sure you are better than the people you are competing with. You wouldn't care whether they wanted or needed the job more than you because you want it for yourself. A little selfishness is needed for self preservation so it's not entirely a bad thing.

This question reminds me most of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. According to him, we all must attain self-actualization, which translates to the phrase, "What a man can be, he must be". Although there is nothing wrong in doing your best to achieve your full potential, this attitude sometimes results in selfishness, as there may be times when you will think that your own needs and interests are far more important than others'.

I also do believe that humans are inherently selfish. In fact, psychology says that in the absence of coercion and restraint, human beings will act and behave the way they want to. This premise, in itself, is selfishness. In as much as we want to consider other people in making our decisions in life, truth is, we are more inclined into satisfying our own well-being. This behavior is also manifested in other organisms; however, it is in human beings that this trait is culminated.

Therefore, it is both nature and nurture that drive humans to be selfish.

I think its human nature and we can trace it back to the Bible during the days of Cain and Abel. It think selfishness came as a result of sins that Adam and Eve did. God is always aware and He expects us to fight against the selfishness powers.

Also, most of the human beings aren't happy seeing their colleagues succeeding or doing better than them. They have a certain kind of feeling that if there colleagues prosper, they'll forget about them.Others may think that when you prosper you'll start showing off.

All in all, in one way or another, we will have to understand that most people won't be happy with your success and hence you don't have to go on telling everyone how much you've gone.

That is very simple. Some people are selfish because they are only thinking of their own welfare. They do not care to share. I think those who are selfish are not guided by their parents or the parents of them themselves are selfish as well because they do not teach their children on how to share. My parents told me all the time to be kind and to also think of the welfare of the people around me. I bear that to my mind. I never became selfish. If I have something, i let others have it or borrow it. I share something I know. I do give and love to receive. If you are being kind and nice, people will be kind and nice to you too. You get what you give. Others are selfish because they have lack of love. They do not appreciate the meaning of thank you. They are even closed minded.